Thursday, March 9, 2017

An Anglican bishop has urged conservative Christians to stay within the Church of England despite its changing attitudes about gay marriage.

Rod Thomas, The Bishop of Maidstone, has noted that several bishops are calling on the Church to be more affirming of same-sex relationships. But he said that conservative parishes should not abandon the Church despite the "false teaching."

"In the face of false teaching, the Apostle Paul tells Timothy both to keep his distance from it but also to continue in patient teaching," Thomas wrote in his blog. "He recognises that this may involve suffering," he added.

He pointed out that when the Apostle Paul warned against false teachers, he did not tell the Ephesians to run away, but he told them to "guard the flock" instead.